The invention generally relates to vacuum cleaners and, more particularly, relates to apparatus for maintaining and storing vacuum cleaner hoses.
Many vacuum cleaners include flexible hoses which enable a user to reach numerous locations without moving the entire vacuum. For example, in a typical canister type of household vacuum cleaner, the flexible hose may be attached to a swivel coupling provided at the top of the canister to enable the hose to rotate and reach numerous locations. When the user has completed using the vacuum cleaner, the cleaner is typically then placed in a closet or other suitable storage space with the vacuum cleaner hose simply being haphazardly placed in with the vacuum cleaner.
However, with wet/dry vacuum cleaners, the vacuum cleaner often remains within a given work space, such as a shop floor or the like. While such units typically include wheels or caster feet to enable the vacuum cleaner to be moved, the vacuum cleaner hose typically remains attached to the wet/dry vacuum cleaner and does not lend itself to tidy and concise storage. As a result, the hose either remains attached to the vacuum cleaner and occupies space on the shop floor in an unorganized and potentially unsafe manner or else the user is forced to create an independent solution such as tying the hose together with external fasteners or removing the hose from the cleaner and storing it separately.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,837,899 discloses one attempt at a mechanism enabling a vacuum cleaner hose to be clipped together. The clip includes first and second substantially c-shaped sections connected in mirror image relationship to one another. However, the two substantially c-shaped sections provide relatively large, opposed, inlets for receipt of the vacuum hose. As a result, forces imparted to one and/or both of the hoses in a direction parallel to a longitudinal axis cutting through the hose clip can cause one or both of the hoses to be removed from the clip. This not only can result in the hose becoming loose, but can also tend to cause the clip to be lost as it is removed from the hose.
In accordance with one aspect of the invention, a vacuum cleaner hose clip is provided which comprises a first curvilinear member having first and second ends, a bridge having first and second ends, and a second curvilinear member having first and second ends. The bridge first end is connected to the second end of the first curvilinear member. The first end of the second curvilinear member is connected to the second end of the bridge. The second curvilinear member is adapted to move from a release position wherein the second end of the second curvilinear member is spaced apart from the bridge to a locking position wherein the second end of the second curvilinear member is engaging the bridge.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, a vacuum cleaner hose clip adapted to hold first and second vacuum cleaner hose portions together is provided which comprises a first arm and a second arm. The first arm forms an incomplete loop and is adapted to partially surround a first hose portion. The second arm is connected to the first arm and forms an incomplete loop. The second arm is adapted to partially surround a second hose portion. The first and second arms form a substantially s-shaped hose clip.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, a wet/dry vacuum cleaner is provided which comprises a tank, a vacuum source associated with the tank, a hose connected to an inlet of the vacuum source, and a hose clip connected to the hose. The vacuum hose is adapted to draw matter into the tank. The hose clip includes first and second arms wherein the first arm wraps around the entire circumference of the hose, and the second arm is partially wrapped around the circumference of the hose.
These and other aspects and features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.